1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an adapter and cap assembly and a method for assembling a cap to an adapter for an infusion device or the like, and more specifically, to a method of attachment and the structures for an attachment between the cap for an inlet on an adapter housing and the housing.
2. Background Description
U.S. Pat. No. 3,416,567 has an adapter of the type described herein except the cap and its living hinge assembly appear to be a part of the body of the adapter. That is to say that they appear to be molded as a single part and of the same polymer as the body of the adapter. There is no specific showing or description of the specific attachment between the living hinge of the cap and the adapter body. The body also includes a sleeve therein to close off the inlet passage so that flow into the main passage of the adapter is restricted such that outflow cannot occur.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,802,433 is an adapter wherein a catheter of thermoplastic material is mounted inside the adapter and held therein by a sleeve shaped insert. This particular patent is specifically directed to the connection between the catheter and the adapter in order to secure them together and maintain a fluid tight connection. The adapter has a cap shown in FIG. 1 attached to the socket but no specific teaching appears in the patent describing the attachment.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,063,555 shows another adapter for a catheter wherein an inlet includes a check valve in order to assure that flow into the adapter cannot be reversed. No specific cap or construction of a cap are disclosed in this patent.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,231,367 shows still another adapter wherein the cap assembly is held to the body by means of a living hinge and what would appear to be a flexible ring which surrounds the body of the inlet. There is no specific description of how this is applied and the understanding of it is primarily by means of examining FIG. 1 therein.
U.S. Design Pat. No. 256,617 shows another approach to retaining the cap wherein the living hinge and cap assembly appear to have been molded as part of the adapter body. There is no specific teaching of any other form of attachment. The need to provide a securely assembled cap and adapter which allows the cap to be of a relatively flexible material and the adapter of a material less flexible than the cap is missing in the prior references.